Types Of Drainage Pipe Work

The following is a brief guide to the kinds of drainage pipe work you are likely to come across in the UK if you have the pleasure of inspecting and repairing a defective system, you can click on from each section for more information

Vitrified Clay Pipe Work

clay drain pipes By far the most common pipe material found below ground with many of the victorian systems still working as well as the day they were installed, the older pipes are however susceptible to tree root ingress of joints and displacement and fractures due to impact damage, water erosion of supporting soils and ground heave.

It must be said though that this is more to do with the installation and pipe bedding methods than the pipe material itself and this is something that modern clay ware systems address.

You can read more on clay drainage Here

Underground Plastic Pipe Work

Plastic pipe work is much lighter than clay and comes in longer lengths meaning less joints, its easier to cut for the DIYer and you can build an entire system from pipes and bends through to manhole covers and inspection chambers out of the one material. Again how its installed and the pipe bedding used are important as these pipes can be prone to root ingress and deformity if not installed correctly

You can read more on clay drainage Here

Pitch Fibre PipeWork

A shocking product that was fortunately only used for a few years due to plastic pipe work coming onto the market, pitch fibre deforms and blisters internally leading to blockages and eventually complete collapse.

More on pitch fibre pipe work and how it can be repaired Here

Cast Iron Pipe Work

Often found beneath city centre buildings, schools, hospitals etc..... cast iron was a robust heavy duty material, unfortunately many of these systems have started to corrode internally, however modern cast and ductile systems are epoxy or cement lined to prevent these problems

Concrete Drains and Sewers

Not a product for your average DIYer or most drainage contractors for that matter this robust material is used on larger diameter sewer systems and is usually installed by civil and ground works contractors who have the machinery and heavy lifting plant required